Maria Andersson

Short personal summaryMaria is employed in Järfälla at the business area Surveillance, within the business unit C2 Solutions as a project manager. She holds a M.Sc. in Industrial Engineering and Management obtained at Mälardalen University. Taking on new challenges and seizeing opportunities to explore new areas is something Maria is driven by. She has been working in the Swedish Armed Forces since 2010, both full time and part time, and beyond the Graduate Program she is currently undergoing Cadet School for the army reserve.

Maria has a passion for training, wellness and enjoys physical challenges. She has been competing at a national level in swimming but now a days most of her spare time is occupied by CrossFit, running and horse riding. People who know Maria describe her as driven, outward and ambitious.

Why did you apply to the graduate program?During my last year in the University, I got the opportunity to participate in “Saab Graduate For a Day” at Saab’s facilities in Linköping, a day that really made me rethink about my future career after graduation. It was the first time I was introduced to Saab as a company and the graduate program, and from that day I was convinced that this was something for me! With a background in the Swedish Armed Forces and with an extensive interest in leadership, management and technology, I knew that the program would give me a unique boost for my career as a future leader.

What made me apply to Saab’s graduate program was the opportunity to improve my personal leadership skills, widen my understanding for international business and increase my cultural understanding along, with opportunities to visit Saab sites, both in Sweden and abroad. For me, the key factors for my appliance was the opportunity to be a part of the important work Saab is doing to keep people and societies safe and to gain a better understanding of the environment the company is working in.

How do you think Saab’s graduate program differs from other companies’ trainee program?As a graduate at Saab you have numerous opportunities to visit different areas, due to Saabs large scale international commitment, operating across a wide range of products, sectors and customers. From the first day as a graduate at Saab I was given the responsibility to create my own graduate year, based on my individual goals and my home department’s target, which I consider to be quite unique in comparison to other trainee programs.

Can you tell us more about your assignments abroad?My first assignment abroad was at the Market Area Middle East and Africa in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. My main assignment was, amongst other things, connected to a specific offer and to conduct customer support. I was introduced to the Market Area’s defence and security sector and I also had the opportunity to visit the UAE Naval Base and board several military vessels.

For one month I joined our colleagues at the Market Area in London, United Kingdom. The assignment gave me a good insight of the sales and marketing, business development and strategy, and industrial cooperation in the geographical area Europe. During the assignment, I got the opportunity to experience and widen my knowledge in different functions and business areas by visit Saab’s offices in Southampton, Westbury, Paris and Brussels.

At the time I’m writing this, I find myself in Canberra, Australia, doing my 3 months long rotation at our offices in Canberra and Adelaide. The assignment aims to increase my understanding for the defence industry, both strategically and operational. Two weeks into my rotation, I have not only participated in many interesting meetings, visited the Swedish Embassy and the House of Parliament, but I have also had the time to enjoy Australia’s wonderful nature and beaches.

What is it like to work at Saab?For me, working at Saab is an opportunity to learn and develop myself based on all the surrounding knowledge and experience my fellow colleagues provide me with every day. Saab is very supportive in my development process and there are great opportunities within the company with a wide range of career possibilities.